Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal in Our Shared Shelf

Mar 30, 2016 Xanthe rated it it was amazing

Shelves: graphic-novels, ya-books, read-in-2016, read-in-2015, sci-fi, marvel, favorites, superheroes, read-in-2017, rereads

Rereading for the umpteenth time in honor of the release of Volume 10 and the end of G. Willow Wilson's run as writer. Ugh. Still so good. The moments with Kamala and her family, with Bruno and Nakia, are all so precise and well-written. The art is fantastic as well, with everyone's hair looking luscious (I really admired Kamala's and Bruno's) and everyone having such idiosyncratic faces. This might be my favorite ongoing Marvel title (tie with Squirrel Girl, probably) and I'm glad it holds up u ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Feb 18, 2015 alana rated it really liked it

Shelves: females-and-feminists, graphic-novels, young-adult, immigration, fantasy, sci-fi

As I mentioned in my Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon review, I’m a bit marveled out. Hollywood’s never-ending Marvel movie factory has me rolling my eyes and avoiding the cinema. All of the movies have been fun, but…gimme a break. Ms. Marvel, while situated in the Marvelverse, is a great intro to contemporary superhero comics, especially for young readers (of either gender). Though some other Marvel characters appear in the story and exist in this world, this volume doesn’t require you to k As I mentioned in my Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon review, I’m a bit marveled out. Hollywood’s never-ending Marvel movie factory has me rolling my eyes and avoiding the cinema. All of the movies have been fun, but…gimme a break. Ms. Marvel, while situated in the Marvelverse, is a great intro to contemporary superhero comics, especially for young readers (of either gender). Though some other Marvel characters appear in the story and exist in this world, this volume doesn’t require you to know anything about them in order to enjoy the new direction for the Ms. Marvel character.

Kamala Khan is a quirky, bumbling teenager growing up Pakistani-American in Jersey City. Like most young girls, she wants to push the boundaries of what her family considers acceptable behavior for women her age. Interestingly, she rebels against cultural restrictions (missing parties and sitting in a women-only section of her mosque) but still embraces some moral codes (like abstaining from alcohol and wanting to be more covered) as they reflect her comfort zones at this point in her life. During a (pseudo) rebellious night out, she *dumdumdum* gains super powers in a way that relates to her desire to be more awesome. Instant superherodom is complicated. Kamala must figure out how her powers work, how to control them, and how best to use them to help others. Oh, and she has to get her costume just right because girls. *smalleyeroll*

It’s interesting to note that the author, G. Willow Wilson, is a Caucasian woman who converted to Islam and is now writing a story about a woman of color growing up the child of Pakistani immigrants to the States. (Find that bit curious? So did I! Here’s a great interview with the author.) Ms. Marvel made a big splash as being the first major Marvel character to be Muslim. Her religious and cultural background serve to make her very real and relatable to any child who has grown up in a more conservative family or had labels placed on them by others (hello, everyone). I love seeing real girls in comics!

The art is super pretty. The colors are soft and watercolory feeling, the hair could be made of clay bits, and the noses are delightful.

If you don’t like superheroes at all, this book likely won’t convert you. If you are looking for a real girl who gets some super powers, this one’s for you.
...more

Like · see review

Dec 02, 2014 Sarah S rated it really liked it

Shelves: graphic-novel, favorites, superhero

I really liked this. Great characters, really good set up/introduction, and the art was... cute? I was reminded of muppets in a way, and I enjoyed all the little background details (fat birds!). My only complaint was that it ended sooner than I wanted.

I wrote a longer review (of the series) on the library's blog: http://carnegiestout.blogspot.com/201... ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 02, 2016 alana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: females-and-feminists, graphic-novels, reread

Just reread this in anticipation of finally reading volumes 2 & 3 I bought ages ago, and I liked it even more! My previous review was more thoughtful because babies but really Kamala is so relatable and likeable and now even more it's imperative to feature strong ladies, immigrant families, and Muslim communities positively in mass media formats. What's more all-American than a rebellious teenage girl challenging the high expectations of her parents by secretly fighting crime and defining who sh ...more

Like · see review

Nov 10, 2014 Elizabeth rated it really liked it

Proving that the best stories always start with the best characters - and Kamala Khan is a great character creation: like any teenager she's figuring out who she is, be that as an Pakistani-American negotiating high-school or as a new superhero with unreliable superpowers. The art-work is great too, Kamala's facial expression really sell her sweet, slightly snarky attitude. ...more

Like · see review